Improved shoe



CHARLES D.v LETHERBUR-Y, Cl" CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent Aro. 65,492, dated -fzwte 4, 1867.

IMPROVED SHOE.

site dgrtiilr nient it in this Mints hnelt mit milking pitt nf ilgr 5min.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Beit known that I, CnnnLns D. LETHERBURY, of Chester, in the county of Delaware, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful improvement in Gaiters, Boots,- and Shoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the nature thereof, sufficient to enable others skilled in the art to which .it appertains to fnlly understand and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which v Figure 1 is a side view of a shoe illustrating my invention, showing the main improvement in red.

Figure 2 is a plan of thc pattern of one section of the gaiter, boot, 'n' shoe..

Figure 3 is a plan of the pattern of' another section of the gaiter, boot, or slice.

Similar letters of reference indicate' corresy'ionding parts in the several figures.

This invention consists in so constructing gaiters, boots, and shoes, that the saine sha/ll be made in two pieces, lea-ving a flap at one side, whereby a neat fit is obtained, chenpness and saving of material secured, and also forming ready means for applying and withdrawing the same from the foot, and preventing the passage of water to the foot.

In the drawings, A represents a gri-iter, boot, or slice made according to my invention.l It consists of twov parts, of which B is the front, and C the rear and heel part. These two parts are united at the point a, which is the line et' the front part of the heel. The two parts are so cnt, as shown at L ande, gs. 2 and 3, that when sewed or united, a iiap, D, shall be formed on one side of the foot wear. It will be seen that the seam at the ,union of the two parts will form the middle of the Hap, admitting, et said iiap being turned to the front or rear, and so that it lie flat against the inner side' ol the gaitcr, hooi', or shoe. In applying niy shoe to the foot, the Hap is extended and the foot introduced. The ilap is then folded either to t-hle front or rear, and the means ofl securing it will hold it snugly in place. I have shown a strap, d, and abncklc, e, for this purpose, but any other equivalent means may beeinployeil. lf thc gniter, boot, or shoe should be brought in contact with-water, this cannot passiiiirther than the senin, and it will run off on account of the curved form that the seam assumes when the flap lies ilat in position. The shoe is thus made in two pieces only, and coi'is'equently with two seams, and at such places where they will not rnb or chate the foot. The flap is not a separate piece with the other parts, but being cnt therewith, obviates the necessity of more scams, as is usual when the Hap is sewed tothe pieces of the slice.

I am aware that flaps have been hitherto employed and constructed, but never, to my knowledge, where they have been cnt oli` the same pieces ofileather which comprise the foot wear, especially so when this wear is made of only two parte.y having the scam a corresponding .sides at the line of the front part of the heel.

The advantages derived from niy mode of constructing gaiters, boots, or shoes are,'that there is a great saving ot' material, time, and labor; that there is ease in wear, and readiness of application; that water cannot pass to the foot, as is the case in all slices where there are openings or open aps on the side, and that a better lit is mafie than by the ordinary mode of making foot wear.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The within covering for the foot, consisting of the'parts B and C and thc flap D, when cut oi' two pieces of material, arranged as described. l

The above specification of my improvement in gaites, boots, and shoes signed .this twenty-sixth day of March, '1867.

CHARLES D. LETHERBURY.

Witnesses? ALEX. A. C. KLAUGKE, CHARLIE D. Davis. 

